1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to bird feeders and accessories for bird feeders, more specifically, bird feeders which incorporate an electrically powered system for shocking squirrels or other animals.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Squirrels can consume large quantities of food very rapidly, and their aggressive nature intimidates birds eating at conventional bird feeders. Therefore, many attempts have been made in the prior art to develop bird feeders which are squirrel-proof. One such attempt is shown by the patent to Doubleday et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,856,898. The bird feeder of this patent includes an electrical shock device in which the weight of the squirrel via a mechanical assembly triggers the shocking circuit.
Another attempt was to place large umbrella-shaped squirrel guards like that shown in the patent to Blasbalg U.S. Pat. No. 4,327,669 above or below a bird feeder. Squirrel guards of this type are only a temporary deterrent, as in time squirrels will eat through the material of the guard to gain access to the food in the bird feeder.
Another patent found to be of interest is that of Lapierre U.S. Pat. No. 4,471,561, which shows an electronic circuit for killing insects as they crawl up a tree, however, this device deals with high voltages and must always remain on.